North Royalton Creates Innovative Partnership with Leopardo Energy

The City of North Royalton, Ohio recently announced it has developed an innovative partnership with Leopardo Energy to reduce the city’s energy costs, improve safety and make investments in new infrastructure, equipment and technology. Work began in early August.

The agreement will stimulate the local economy by utilizing guaranteed cost savings from energy efficiency improvements to make approximately $2.9 million in upgrades to street lights, traffic signals and a myriad of energy efficiency updates, including HVAC, weatherization, thermostat controls and windows.

Major improvements include new traffic signal lighting upgrades at each intersection throughout the city, as well as energy efficiency upgrades at the city hall, police station, two fire stations, animal control and more. The project also includes new windows at the police station and new roofing at the parks maintenance building, cemetery maintenance building, the service center and a fire station.

With the projected 663,929 kWh of energy savings each year, that’s the equivalent of planting more than 25,000 trees. Leopardo Energy estimates CO2 reduction of about 525 tons per year.

North Royalton Mayor Bob Stefanik says the program is a terrific investment for North Royalton. “We will make safety improvements to our street lights and, additionally, many city-owned buildings will become more energy efficient. Not only is the energy savings good for the environment, the taxpayers will benefit from guaranteed cost savings.”

Leopardo Energy president Curtis Leopardo characterizes the agreement as an opportunity for North Royalton to proactively maintain its buildings and push ahead in terms of energy efficiency and new technologies.

The Leopardo program utilizes low-interest financing to generate the capital needed to make the improvements. Repayment will come from energy savings over the next 20 years. Leopardo estimates the city will save about $5 million.